Snake in the Sunflowers {Draco Malfoy}{Cedric Diggory}

☠ Four; a Fate.

Cedric has calmed down considerably since the incident at the start of term feast. He still keeps his eye on you, but has been hovering less and less and allowing you to move about the castle on your own.

It is now October 30th, the night of the foreign schools arriving for the Triwizard Tournament; Beauxbatons of France and Durmstrang of Bulgaria.

Both schools had made quite the entrance, with Beauxbatons arriving by flying carriage pulled by pegasi, and Durmstrang arriving by an enchanted ship that had come from inside the black lake.

Now everyone sits in the Great Hall for the Welcome Feast, with the French students sitting at the Ravenclaw table, and the Bulgarians sitting with the Slytherins.

Dumbledore has just introduced Ludo Bagman and Barty Crouch who were joining the Headmasters as judges of the competition. He is going over the rules for entering.

"... As I said at the start of term, joining this tournament is not to be entered lightly. Once a champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, they are obligated to see the tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There is no backing out once you have become a champion." He pauses for a moment to slowly scan the room. Even from far away, his gaze through half-moon spectacles is piercing. "Therefore, we have elected to have an age minimum of 17 for this year's tournament."

This last statement causes murmurs of disapproval to ripple throughout the younger students in the crowd.

"Silence!" Dumbledore's usually soft voice booms throughout the hall, and everyone freezes.

"As I was saying, this tournament is a very serious commitment. One that we cannot expect children to undertake. It is dangerous, and these trials are beyond the skills of first years. In previous years, there have been many unfortunate injuries, and in the worst cases, death."

A chill runs down your spine. You reach for Cedric sitting beside you, grasping his hand. He looks down at you, puzzled.

He has told you he was considering entering, and you had thought little about it. But now you remember what you had forgotten from Professor Binn's brief lesson on the tournament.

The reason the Ministry banned it centuries ago... Too many students had perished in the grueling trials. Why on earth would they bring it back, knowing the danger?

"For this reason, I will draw an age line around the Goblet. No one under the age of 17 will be able to cross." Dumbledore continues.

This means that third years and under cannot compete. However, those in your year are just barely on the line. Some in your year, including yourself, will turn 18 during this term. Cedric is well above the age minimum, being in his 6th year at Hogwarts. You squirm in your seat.

Unseen by you across the hall, Draco has been staring at you this entire time. His jaw is clenched tight, and he has barely picked at his food. His peers nearby have given him strange looks, but he hasn't noticed. Crabbe and Goyle have tried their best to divert the attention of the table elsewhere.

"Again, please be very sure you wholeheartedly wish to play before entering your name in the Goblet. Now, I think it is time for bed. Goodnight to you all."

Once the headmaster finishes with his speech, the Great Hall erupts with chatter as everyone discusses the upcoming competition.

You follow your friends back to the Hufflepuff burrow, your mind elsewhere the entire way.

"(Y/n)." Someone says once you arrive in the common room, but you don't hear.

"(Y/n)!" They repeat, and you blink, coming back to the present. You look up, seeing a concerned Cedric looking down at you.